The Survey with a Purpose is the Survey for Success
There are now surveys for testing everything you can think of. But it is critical that the club survey, or its related brother, the focus group, must have a purpose.
The purpose can be finding out something that is important and useful for members to help in making good club decisions. Too much surveying of memberships is like the parable of yelling wolf too often. Ultimately, few persons respond. But if the survey subject is recognizable and meaningful, members will respond. Thus, it is important to develop surveys that fairly test member input with clear messages and objective questions that are not too long and not biased. As an example, the most sure way to lose a facility improvement program is not surveying members first to learn what they want.
Another example of a difficult task for Boards and managers is trying to develop a Strategic Plan without doing a survey. Yes, we still have Board members continuing to say, “We know what our members want,” and while this can be true, these same Board members rarely know the members’ priority of importance for activities and improvements nor their willingness to actually pay for them. The ultimate success of a good membership survey is how it is actually used. Anyone can ask questions, but it takes a knowledgeable club expert to advise on how to use the answers.
Clubs today are good at collecting data, but can fail in achieving their club’s missions by how they use it. If a club doesn’t have a good understanding of its real, strategic mission, using a member survey is the best way to develop one.
The Membership Survey Must Be True Consulting, Not Just Data Collection
Most club surveys are just that, a collection of data. But they should also be directing a club with strategic consulting direction on how to actually make positive changes in membership, finances, governance, management and improve the deficient aspects of each club’s most important activities. A club survey is the primary tool for improving a club, understanding its members, and achieving the club’s mission. The survey with a purpose is the survey for success.
About Bill McMahon
Bill leads the research and planning department at McMahon Group, where he has been instrumental in shaping strategic solutions for private clubs since 1999. Over his 25+ year tenure, he has partnered with hundreds of clubs across the country, helping them navigate complex strategic planning and facility development challenges.
A recognized thought leader in the private club industry, Bill has contributed insights to leading publications including Club Trends, The BoardRoom Magazine, and Club Director. He has been a featured speaker at national conferences and regional chapter meetings, where he shares his expertise on club strategy and best practices.
Bill brings a member’s perspective to his work, having been an active member at Bellerive Country Club, Glen Echo Country Club, and the Missouri Athletic Club—all in St. Louis. His commitment to community extends beyond clubs; he has served on the boards of Cinema St. Louis and the Tennessee Society of St. Louis, where he previously served as President.
